


how it all ended

by place_called_space



Series: A Series of (Un)Fortunate Events [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ahsoka Tano Is a Good Bro, Anakin Skywalker Doesn't Willingly Turn to the Dark Side, Anakin Skywalker is a Little Shit, Canon Divergence - Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Dark Side Infection, Established Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, F/M, Gen, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, M/M, Manipulative Sheev Palpatine, Mentioned Leia Organa, Mentioned Luke Skywalker, Minor Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Padmé Amidala Lives, Patented Skywalker Luck, Sith Alchemy, Sith Dagger, Skywalker Family Feels, The Dark Side of the Force, anakin is a good boi, anakin is the force's kid, palpatine does some weird sith voodoo to turn anakin to the dark side
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:20:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24923752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/place_called_space/pseuds/place_called_space
Summary: (alternatively, from a certain point of view, the start of a new beginning)When Anakin Skywalker woke up, he wasn't planning to get stabbed in the chest. He also hadn't planned to figure out that one of his most trusted friends was actually the Sith Lord that orchestrated the Clone War and had pulled all the strings that got his apprentice expelled from the Jedi Order.So it was just his luck that all of that happened, along with a few other things.Meanwhile, sixteen years in the future, Ahsoka Tano is on Malachor, dreading her meeting with Vader. After he reveals something she never would have guessed (yet desperately hoped for), she struggles to come to terms with how far the Emperor is willing to go to assume control of the galaxy.So, what does Ezra Bridger have to do with this and why did he have to recklessly throw himself in the line of fire all the time?.or, the story of how Anakin refused to join Sidious and the shady things the Sith Lord had to do to corrupt the Chosen One.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader
Series: A Series of (Un)Fortunate Events [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1803682
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47





	how it all ended

"You're the Sith Lord!"

Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber sprang to life, pointed at the master of evil in front of him. The Force screamed at him to not listen to the man in front of him, to cut his losses and simply run the old man through. He knew too much about him and Padmé, about the Force, everything! He must be stopped.

"I know what's been troubling you. Listen to me. Don't continue to be a pawn of the Jedi Council!"

The blue eyes of Sheev Palpatine were begging him to listen to reason, to know that the Jedi were evil and wouldn't help him save the love of his life. The Jedi wouldn't help him save Padmé or their unborn child, whose fate was unknown to its father.

"Ever since I've known you, you've been searching for a life greater than that of an ordinary Jedi. A life of significance, of conscience."

The Chancellor started pacing and for a second, Anakin saw that he was walking closer to the exit and instinct took over. His wrist snapped and suddenly his lightsaber was hovering centimeters from Palpatine's ear. The man before him froze.

"Are you going to kill me?" he asked, infuriatingly calm.

"Don't tempt me." Anakin replied cheekily. The Force was quiet now, as though waiting for his response and reaction to the current events.

"I know you do. I can _feel_ your anger. It gives you focus, makes you stronger."

Anakin angrily tightened his mental shields and started to release his anger to the Force. The dark emotion clung to him like a parasite and he struggled to remove it.

"I'm going to turn you over to the Jedi Council." He said, still wrestling with the anger sticking to his presence.

"Of course. You should. But you're not sure of their intentions, are you?"

Unbidden, thoughts of his apprentice flooded his mind. How she was abandoned by the Council without a second thought. How hurt she was at Barriss' betrayal. The moisture in her eyes as she closed his fingers around her Padawan braid. The tremble in her lip as she said goodbye, tears falling across her cheeks. The rage and hate that clung to him for months, barely speaking to Obi-Wan and the rest of the Council, holding a special grudge against Luminara.

Only a few days ago had that deep-seated anger abated, when she appeared with Bo-Katan and herMandalorians in tow, asking for their aid in bringing Maul to justice. She was taller now compared to when he last saw her, though she was still shorter than him. The tips of her mortals almost reached Obi-Wan, the blue complimenting the new armor the Mandalorians had given her. He was so happy to see her that when she asked for a part of the 501st to be put under her command, he nearly stumbled over his words to obey. Rex was promoted to Commander and Ahsoka was there as a consultant. They were on Mandalore now, fighting the Jedi's war because the Council was too preoccupied with political matters to actually help.

He thought about Padmé and how the Jedi would let her and their child die because he had broken their Code. Their unborn child, which he was nearly positive was a girl, though Padmé was certain it was a boy. The Jedi would kill Palpatine because he was a Sith Lord, not caring of his wife's life or the life of their kid.

The anger was back, clinging to him like its life depended on it and the only thought in Anakin's mind was that the Jedi weren't to be trusted. They were liars, seeking only power for themselves.

He hadn't even noticed that he had turned off his lightsaber.

"I will quickly discover the truth of all this." Anakin said vehemently, glaring at the man across from him while he returned his lightsaber to his belt.

"You have great wisdom, Anakin." Palpatine said, looking like the grandfather figure he'd known for so long. "Know the power of the dark side. The power to save Padmé."

* * *

Anakin wasn't kidding when he said he sprinted all the way to the hangar bay. There was sweat dotting his upper lip and he was nearly positive that his hair was sticking to his face. He probably looked horrible.

"Master Windu!" he yelled, the dark-skinned Jedi turning to him inquisitively. "I must speak with you."

The Jedi Master turned from where he was talking to three other Jedi, one of which was Kit Fisto. He nodded to them and excused himself, walking to where Anakin was.

"Skywalker," Windu said as a greeting, eying his disheveled appearance. "We've just received word that Obi-Wan has destroyed General Grievous. We're on our way to make sure the Chancellor returns emergency powers back to the Senate."

Anakin barely had time to silently rejoice at his Master's survival against such a formidable opponent before his mood was dampened by the task at hand. He sighed.

"He won't." Anakin slowed down and waited for Windu to look at him. "I think Chancellor Palpatine is a Sith Lord."

"A Sith Lord?" Windu asked disbelievingly, stepping closer to Anakin.

"Yes, Master." Anakin replied, feeling his heart rate raise at the accusation. "The one we've been looking for."

"How do you know this?"

"He knows the ways of the Force. He's been trained to use the dark side. He follows the ways of the Sith."

Windu looked away for a second before regarding him with a thoughtful expression. "Are you sure?"

He nodded. "I'm positive."

Windu pursed his lips. "Then our worst fears have been realized." He started moving toward the gunship the other Jedi were waiting in. "We must move quickly if the Jedi Order is to survive."

They walked side by side toward the open hangar doors. As they got closer and closer to the ship, Anakin could feel _something_ telling him that he needed to be there when they went to confront Palpatine. The overwhelming need to jump on that gunship and make himself a part of the mission was not going to let itself go unnoticed.

"Master, the Chancellor is very powerful." Anakin began, not knowing why he was speaking at all. "You'll need my help if you're going to arrest him."

"For your own good, stay out of this affair."

Anakin's head snapped to the elder Master and was about to protest, anger rising within him though he _didn't know why_ when Windu held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"I sense a great deal of confusion in you, young Skywalker. There is much fear that clouds your judgement."

"I _must_ go, Master." Anakin said again, once again feeling the need to emphasize a point that wasn't his, wasn't his at all.

"No."

Windu stopped and faced him with a stern look and Anakin knew he had somehow gotten himself in trouble with Windu again even though it _wasn't his fault_. Anakin fought the rising anger that wasn't his and bowed his head.

"If what you've told me is true, you will have earned my trust. But for now-"

Anakin fought another bout of rage and indignation at the confession and forced himself to listen to what the Jedi was saying.

"-remain here. Wait in the Council Chambers until we return."

Anakin nodded and bowed. "Yes, Master."

The gunship's engines fired up and Anakin stepped back to avoid getting blasted in the face with hot air. He watched the ship leave, robes billowing around him. The sun was setting and it was visible from the hangar. For a second, Anakin stood in there, basking in the warmth of the sun's rays, so different than the scorching light of Tatooine's twin suns, the heat of the sand that he felt through his cloth boots.

Surrounded by confusion and uncertainty, Anakin walked back to the Temple, eventually reaching the Council Chambers and sinking into the chair he had been granted.

**You do know, don't you, if the Jedi destroy me, any chance of saving her will be lost.**

Palpatine's voice reached to him. Two rotations ago, Anakin would tell himself that he'd been hallucinating. But knowing what he knew now, there was no doubt in his mind that Palpatine was manipulating him.

Sighing, Anakin closed his eyes and dove deep in the Force, trying to see if there were any answers for his questions.

At first, there was nothing but the students in the Temple, their innocence and excitement reminding him of his own appren- erm, _former_ apprentice.

Frowning, Anakin stood and walked to one of the large windows, unconsciously facing toward Padmé's apartment, thinking about the people he cared about.

Padawan Ahsoka Tano, the student he'd taken under his wing and taught everything he'd thought she'd need to know to survive, not limiting himself to the Jedi teachings.

Ahsoka Tano, cast out of the Jedi Order for a crime she didn't commit, then scorned for not forgiving the Council for their mistake.

Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, the man who'd raised him as his own and the only one Anakin saw as his brother, no matter their surnames.

Obi-Wan Kenobi, the man who had not only lost one love, but two, in the name of the Jedi, who had never let him pursue his love for fear of him falling to the dark side.

Senator Padmé Amidala, Representative of Naboo who constantly sacrificed herself and put her life on the line for the sake of democracy and peace.

Padmé Naberrie, wife and soon-to-be mother who would be left to die by the Jedi, as they would do nothing to help him prevent her fated death in childbirth.

And finally, the little Skywalker themself, who the Jedi would not only orphan but also indoctrinate into their Order, purging any emotions and attachments they might form.

Anakin's vision suddenly became blurry and he blinked, not reacting to the tears sliding down his cheeks.

Not only would Anakin be expelled from the Order but he wouldn't have his beloved Angel with him. He would have to raise their child alone. Their child, their little miracle would never know their mother, having to rely on stories told by their widowed father and their mutual friends.

Scoffing, Anakin shook himself as he realized what a ridiculous path his thought process was going down.

Of course he wouldn't have to raise his kid alone. He wouldn't even get the chance to raise them at all! The Jedi would surely come to take the child away. The child of the supposed Chosen One had too much potential to pass up and they would snatch his baby from his arms, leaving him alone with no one to turn to.

Anger rose up within him and this time he did nothing to stop it. The anger deepened and seeped into every crack in his mind until it dominated everything he knew. Anakin didn't notice how the air around him seemed to electrify, filling the room with the smell of ozone. The knuckles on his flesh hand turned white and he could vaguely hear the sound of screeching metal, the pain receptors he had built into his arm were not so kindly letting him know that such strain wasn't good.

Anakin dimly wondered if Obi-Wan would be willing to train another Skywalker.

Anakin almost didn't notice the presence brushing up against his mind, its questioning probes not reaching him until the presence gave him the mental equivalent of a slap upside the head.

With Anakin efficiently startled, the static in the room faded. His ears popped.

_'Master?'_ The voice was faint and Anakin could barely hear it but he would recognize the owner of it anywhere.

_'Ahsoka?'_ He sent back disbelievingly. In the months Ahsoka had been… _away_ , their bond had faded to the point where he could only sense her when they were close and even then it was only emotions.

_'Master_ _, don't worry. I have Maul in custody and I'm already on my way back to Coruscant_ _. I'll be there by the end of the rotation, I promise.'_

_'Ahsoka, I-'_

_'Don't give me that. You are_ not _fine. Promise me you won't do anything stupid until I'm there, okay?'_

Anakin's spine straightened indignantly, anger fading as a small smile crossed his face. _'What's that supposed to mean? You don't trust me to handle myself?_ _'_

Ahsoka let tendrils of _fearconcerndetermination_ slip through her shields. _'It's not you I don't trust, Anakin.'_

_'Wha-?'_

_'Just...listen to me for a second. Please?'_

Anakin let her through his shields and sent her _loveadmirationreassurance_. Another pulse of the strengthening bond.

She eventually continued. _'Maul said something that worried me. Something about you.'_

_'What ab-?'_

' _Let me_ finish _, Anakin,'_ she said, sounding stern but he could hear the smile in her voice. He bit his tongue. _'He had said that you were the key. The key to everything. That you had been groomed as the perfect apprentice to his former master.'_

Anakin replied without thinking. _'The Chancellor.'_

Ahsoka's confusion was apparent and she didn't respond for a while, until he felt a wave of anger from her. _'...what?'_ Her voice was low and dangerous even over the mind link and Anakin was suddenly reminded that her species were predators.

_'The Chancellor.'_ Anakin practically spat, feeling stupid for not saying anything earlier. _'He's the Sith Lord.'_

Her fear slammed into him like a freighter. _'Don't trust him, Anakin._ _Don't trust anything he says. He's lied this whole time. I know he's a good friend of yours and you trust him but please don't help him burn down the Republic.'_

_'Burn down the what now?'_

Her exasperation was familiar. _'Master, he's_ _using_ _you. He's_ been _using you and you just can't see it. None of us did! How blind were we to not see that he was-'_

_'I know, Ahsoka. I know.'_

They both paused, lost in their thoughts.

_'What are you going to do?'_ Ahsoka's voice was small, even in his head.

_'I'm going to do my duty.'_ He sent back, uncertainty filling him because he actually didn't know what to do.

_'Your duty as a Jedi or your duty as a husband?'_

Anakin felt his body flush with heat and his left hands started getting clammy as panic gripped him. _'Uhh... I don't know what you're taking about?'_ It came out as a question instead of a statement. He could practically see her rolling her eyes.

_'You weren't exactly subtle, Master. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole 501st knew about you and Padmé.'_

_'Well, Rex already knew but-'_

_'You told Rex and not me?!'_

Anakin winced and hurriedly replied. _'Well, apparently, you already knew so what's the point of arguing?'_ He paused. _'How long have you known?'_

_'Since Naboo.'_ was the curt response.

Anakin thought back to the first time both he and Ahsoka had been on Naboo with Padmé and he remember the heart attack he'd almost given both himself and Obi-Wan once he heard that his wife and his apprentice had been infected with the incurable Blue Shadow Virus.

_'Oh...'_ he said, not really in a position to come up with a proper response.

_'Yup.'_ Ahsoka said, popping the 'p' even though they weren't in a verbal conversation.

They lapsed into comfortable silence again, with Anakin staring out the window and Ahsoka staring out the viewport on the Venator she was on. They did nothing except bask in each other's presence for a while, a Master and Apprentice finally reunited. The Force was eerily quiet.

Neither of them realized that it was the calm before the storm until a dark cloud seemed to explode from the Chancellor's office, blanketing everything it touched. Anakin stumbled back and nearly tripped over a chair as he clutched his head. The Force was screaming around him, writhing in pain as it was forced to obey a cruel master.

The Chosen One straightened up and strengthened his shields, the screaming in his head dimming as the Force sensed his resolve. He stretched out his senses, reaching his lost apprentice, who was at least four hours away and in no position to aid him. She seemed to realize this and sent him her love, her determination, and her strength.

_'Go.'_

Mind made up, Anakin sprinted out of the Council Chamber, yelling into his comlink for someone to have a ship ready for departure by the time he got there.

Apparently, he can run really fast when he wanted to because the dock was barely extending when he skidded to a stop inside the hangar, boots sliding on the marble floor. He sprinted down the length of the hangar for the second time that day, jumping on the wing of the ship that had been provided for him and settling into the cockpit.

Within seconds, he was speeding towards the Senate Building.

* * *

Reckless flying wasn't exactly new for Anakin Skywalker.

On the way to the Chancellor's office, he'd felt the deaths of Saesee Tiin and Agen Kolar. It was then that he started disobeying the speed limit.

Three quarters of the way there, he'd felt Kit Fisto die. At that point, the speed limit was nothing but a faint suggestion.

He made it to the Senate Building in record time, thanking all of Padmé's gods that his wife was at her apartment instead of her place of work.

Windu was still alive, he knew that much. If Palpatine had managed to kill all of the Jedi sent to arrest him, Anakin would've turned around and headed back to the Temple, intent on protecting the Initiates and the Younglings from the imminent attack.

Anakin took the stairs three at a time, not bothering with the lift. He reached the right floor when he heard the faint sounds of lightsabers clashing and glass shattering. He slowed down as he neared the Chancellor's door, wishing to catch his breath before the unavoidable fight.

He flicked his wrist and the doors opened. He passed the bodies of the dead Jedi, grieving for their deaths before prying his eyes away.

Mace Windu had Palpatine dead to rights, his purple lightsaber inches from the Sith Lord's throat. The old man was panting for breath, his hands up in a half-hearted form of surrender.

"You are under arrest, my lord."

Anakin couldn't stop the relieved grin that broke out on his face at Windu's remark.

"Anakin, I told you it would come to this. I was right! The Jedi are taking over!" Palpatine was grasping at straws, obviously. His eyes were frantic and Anakin could feel his fear radiating through the Force. He obviously hadn't expected to be bested by the Masters sent to arrest him. Anakin said nothing and only looked to Windu, whose position hadn't wavered.

"The oppression of the Sith will never return. You have lost."

Palpatine's eyes darted over to Anakin, who kept his face uniform and betrayed no emotion. Once he saw he was getting no help, Palpatine's face broke into an ugly sneer.

"No, no, no, _you_ will die!"

Anakin ears popped and that was the only warning he got before blue lightning exploded from the Chancellor's fingers, aimed at Master Windu. Windu, thank the Force, brought his lightsaber up in time and caught the energy with his blade, struggling to keep it at bay. The lightning deflected off of the purple blade ricocheted everywhere and Anakin was forced to step back. He brought up his mechanical arm to shield his face, the only part of his body that wasn't armored.

"He's a traitor!" Palpatine yelled amidst his attack.

" _He_ is the traitor!" Windu yelled at him, voice strained with the effort of holding back the lightning. Suddenly, he angled his lightsaber in a way that deflected the deadly energy back to the Sith Lord who'd created it. Before their eyes, Palpatine seemed to be aging, his teeth rotting and eyes yellowing, skin suddenly sagging into bags. His hair seemed to disintegrate, leaving him partially bald.

"I have the power to save the one you love! You must choose!" Palpatine yelled, looking at Anakin as he kept up his lightning barrage. Anakin looked on, enraptured in the horrific scene before him.

"Don't listen to him, Anakin!" Mace yelled through gritted teeth, still focused on Palpatine. With a start, Anakin realized that this was the first time the dark-skinned Master had used his actual name and not 'Skywalker' or 'boy', a term of familiarity that Anakin was not used to.

"Don't let him kill me..please..." Palpatine's voice was getting weaker. Didn't he know that he was only injuring himself by continuing his barrage? "I can't hold it any longer... I-I-I-I can't... I-I-I'm weak..." The Sith Lord's hands fell to hang limply in his lap as the crackling of lightning finally silenced. The room seemed too quiet in its absence. "Anakin, help me, help me! I can't hold on any longer..."

"I'm going to end this once and for all!" Windu yelled after a brief stumble backward.

Anakin felt Palpatine's eyes on him, watching his every move. Windu seemed to notice as well and met Anakin's gaze. The younger Jedi only raised an eyebrow, saying nothing. Windu also stayed silent, the incline of his head his only movement.

His message was clear: _'trust me'_

Blue orbs met brown and an understanding passed between the two Jedi. The younger of the two Jedi closed his eyes and bowed to his predecessor, turning around and walking toward the bodies of the fallen Jedi. The Force was quiet underneath the dark, suffocating cloud that had blanketed it, emanating from the Sith Lord about to be executed.

All was well...

.

.

.

.

...until it wasn't.

Anakin felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and his shoulders tensed, years of being on a battlefield sharpening his instinct. The Force screamed in both warning and agony. He called his lightsaber to his hand and turned around, just catching a glimpse of Palpatine's enraged yellow eyes before he was thrown into a wall.

Anakin's head hit the wall with a sharp _'crack'_ and he slumped to the floor, dazed and held up only by the wall behind him. Blinking rapidly to clear his vision, he vaguely saw a brown blob by the wall perpendicular to his which had be Windu and three Palpatines swimming in front of him, slowly growing larger until Anakin felt a cold hand grab his chin and yank his face upwards.

Sidious' fingers were like ice, cold slowly spreading where nails pierced his skin. Anakin's eyes felt like they were bulging out of their sockets as he glared through blurry vision.

"Last chance. Join me or die." Palpatine said, his yellow teeth grinding against each other as he sneered.

Anakin sneered right back, his top lip curling and a fire lighting up inside him that melted the ice. "Never." The Force gathered around him and lent him its strength. Emboldened, Anakin ignited his lightsaber and lunged at the Sith Lord, intent on ending not only this fight, but the war as well. His blade was caught by a red lightsaber and his wide-eyed look was met with an ugly smirk.

Anakin pursed his lips and grunted as he shoved the lightsaber blade to the side and lashed out wildly with his own, forcing the Sith Lord to retreat a few steps or be slashed in half at awkward angles.

Palpatine swung downwards at him. Catching the Sith Lord in a saber lock, Anakin moved his lightsaber out of the way and threw Palpatine off balance. A solid kick to the face and a Force push forward and Palpatine was sent sprawling backward, his feet getting tangled in his long Senatorial robes.

Waiting for his old mentor to recover, Anakin took the time to shrug off his cloak, the brown fabric pooling around his ankles before being caught in a gust of wind and floating towards the door. Palpatine had recovered by now and was practically growling at him from his position on the floor, crouching as though he was an animal about to pounce. Anakin responded by smirking, not bothering to bring his lightsaber up in a defensive position, instead opting to hold it loosely to his side, giving off an indifferent facade.

When Palpatine rushed him again, lunging at him with his crimson blade held high, Anakin was ready, calling to mind his Master's favored form of Soresu, which he was now thanking all the forces in the universe that gave Obi-Wan the foresight to hammer the common lightsaber form into his skull.

This was his destiny.

The Force was with him.

He would win this, he felt it in his bones, in his very _being_. His blood sang with the promise of battle, the promise of finally ending this galaxy-wide war that was orchestrated by the man in front of him, the source of _evil_ resonating through the Force.

This was his destiny.

The Force was with him.

He would win this war.

He would win it for Obi-Wan, for Ahsoka, for the younglings in the Temple, for Padmé and their child... for everyone.

His name was Anakin Skywalker.

General of the 501st Battalion of the Grand Army of the Republic.

Loyal servant of the Force, a tool for it to exact its will.

Master to an exiled apprentice.

Husband of a former Queen.

Father of an angel.

He will _not_ let evil win, in this life or the next.

* * *

"Running away _again_ , Lady Tano?"

The Zabrak's lips were pulled back in a sneer. He was taunting her, trying to goad her into a fight.

She had the high ground this time, not like Mandalore. She could sense _him_ overhead, could feel the vibrations of his TIE fighter in her montrals. It was time for her to face him.

"If you want to finish our fight, you'll have to deal with _him_ first."

Her voice sounded more confident than she felt, one of her lekku twitching from her nerves. Glancing to the side, she saw her friend was standing tall, the hilt of his lightsaber in his hand, despite having taken a similar blade to the face just moments before.

"Go get Ezra!" he yelled. She turned and ran up the steps without a backward glance. _He_ was almost there and she had no doubt that he would slaughter the kid without a second thought.

She would save them. Both of them.

Because she didn't know what she would do if she failed.

* * *

Their fight was a long one, longer than Anakin had participated in for a long time.

Windu was finally waking up, stirring from his position on the floor, motions sluggish as though his limbs were made of metal.

Anakin would know, one of his limbs was actually made of metal, albeit a lightweight and durable one.

Sidious was starting to tire, he could sense it. He was powerful but he was no match for the Chosen One in his prime. The Force churned in a whirlwind around him, slowly slipping from the grasp of the Sith Lord in front of him.

_It's almost time, child._ It whispered to him, lending him its strength. _A little longer and you will fulfill your destiny._

And so Anakin pushed on. He pushed on despite the cuts and burns that littered his body, despite the ache in his muscles from the lightning that has slipped past his shields, despite the throbbing in his head that was courtesy of the far wall, despite the steady trickle of blood snaking its way down his spine, also from when he bumped heads with the far wall.

Two of the ribs were at the very least fractured, he had a head wound that would lead to blood loss if he didn't get it looked at soon, his skin was singed with first degree and second degree burns, the cut behind his left kneecap was starting to become bothersome and worst of all, he was _positive_ that there was a grain of sand stuck in the ball and socket joint of his right pinky because it kept getting stuck.

But, still, he had a job to do.

"Anakin!"

His head snapped to the side and there was a flash of silver and gold sailing through the air. He caught the cylinder on instinct and only then he realized what it was.

Mace Windu had thrown him his lightsaber.

Grinning, he nodded to the Jedi Master, who ran out the door, probably on his way to warn the Temple. The Sith Lord snarled and lunged for the dark-skinned human, his crimson blade caught by a purple one and his sneer met with an infuriatingly cocky smirk.

Sure, the last time Anakin fought against a Sith Lord with two lightsabers, it didn't go well for him. He ended up losing his hand but he did get a cool mechanical hand to replace it, though he was beginning to resent the hunk of metal that _still had a piece of sand stuck in it_.

He was beginning to see Yerbana as less than a win, despite the Republic emerging as the resounding victors.

He crossed the blades of his weapons in an 'x' and took a breath before lunging at his enemy.

The age old fight between the Jedi and the Sith continued.

* * *

"Perhaps I was wrong."

The hum of a lightsaber. Panic echoing through the Force.

"It wouldn't be the first time."

Fear and relief.

The crackling of lightning was echoing through her montrals. The wind was making her lekku sway back and forth, occasionally bumping into the chestplate of her armor.

Her lightsabers were held tightly in her hands, the knuckles turning a light shade of yellow, contrasting with her orange skin.

When he turned to her, seemingly forgetting about the injured and frightened child cowering at his feet, she was again reminded of the stark differences between this monster and her Master.

"It was foretold that you would be here. Our long awaited meeting has come at last."

The vocabulary and the inflection of the words he was using reminded her of someone born and raised on privilege in the Core Worlds, not a former slave from the backwater planet Tatooine. The Force swirled around her, trying to tell her something that she couldn't understand.

"I'm glad I gave you something to look forward to."

Her answer was short and cold, a sharp contrast to the turmoil she felt behind the safety of her shields. His lightsaber turned off and she felt a traitorous flicker of hope.

"We need not be adversaries." Her heart swelled. "The Emperor will show you mercy, if you tell me where the remaining Jedi can be found."

Anger again, burning hot.

"There are no Jedi." she spat, baring her teeth. "You and your Inquisitors have seen to that."

"Perhaps this child will confess what you will not."

The aforementioned child, who had been inching his way away from the monster, froze and lifted his head to meet its gaze. His narrowed eyes held fire in them and his mouth was set in a stubborn line, despite the pain he must be feeling from the hand curled against his chest protectively, its injury unknown.

"I was beginning to believe I knew who you were behind that mask. But it's impossible. My Master could _never_ be as vile as you."

He turned to her, taking his attention off the raven haired child. "Anakin Skywalker was weak. I destroyed him."

A whisper of the Force, the rekindling of a bond she had thought dormant for years, nearly sent her crashing to her knees but instead she closed her eyes and pushed the faux bond aside, as it was nothing but a ruse to distract her from her mission. "Then I will avenge his death." She stepped forward threateningly, her fingers already resting on the ignition switches of her lightsabers.

"Revenge is not the Jedi way."

It was a sentence she had heard many times growing up in the Temple, one she repeated to herself throughout her trial and her subsequent expulsion.

It was almost blasphemous to hear it from a Sith.

She looked him in the eyes, or at least where she thought his eyes were, and steeled herself for the fight she knew was coming.

"I am no Jedi."

The white light of her lightsabers brought her a sense of bitterness, reminding her of how much had changed in the years they'd been apart. A lot had changed about her but she still stuck to her favored form of Jar'Kai, despite knowing in her heart that it was taught to her by the monster in front of her. Still, her opponent's crimson blade also sprang to life as he too sunk into ready position. The familiarity of the stance stabbed through her. He was an exceptional fighter, the best she had ever had the pleasure of seeing in action. This will be the first time she was ever on the receiving end of his blows, bar the training spars they had when neither of them were really trying to harm the other.

She charged forward, despite knowing that she would be the only one holding back now.

The blades of Ahsoka Tano and Darth Vader crossed in a battle the Force had been waiting for for the past sixteen years.

* * *

Sidious was gasping for breath on the floor, hideously deformed almost beyond recognition, a lightsaber pointed at his neck, inches away from hitting skin.

It was Anakin Skywalker who had defeated him this time. The Jedi Knight was much more injured than his predecessor, who still hadn't returned to the room. He was panting as well, his exertion making itself known.

"It's over, Sidious," he spat, his words punctuated by his pants for breath. "I'll never join you. And I'll never let you win."

He raised both his lightsabers over his head, holding them both in his apprentice's favored unorthodox Jar'Kai variation. He brought them down and blinked at the scorching holes in the carpet and the flickering form of Palpatine in front of him, no longer panting and instead had a smile on his face that looked more like a grimace. The Chosen One tightened his grip and went to pull the lightsabers out of the floor when he felt something thud against his side.

Something in his mind snapped like an old rubber band and his ears popped. He suddenly felt drained, as though the adrenaline of the fight had suddenly decided that it had done enough for one evening.

As he struggled to stay on his feet, Anakin knew something was wrong.

He grunted as he yanked the lightsabers out of the floor, swinging them in a wide arc around him, the momentum almost tipping him over. Palpatine backpedaled from where he had been crouching, laughing with a hideous smile on his face. He raised his lightsabers again, ready to lunge forward and strike, only to stop when he felt something tug on his sleeve. There was an uncomfortable pressure when he was hit, as though something was moving around in between his ribs.

Confused, Anakin looked down and saw a knife sticking out of his side, the crossguard of which was still stuck on the edge of the sleeve of his left arm.

Palpatine's laugh started getting louder, his yellow eyes practically glowing with his glee.

There was a ringing in Anakin's ears that wasn't there before and he blinked, wondering why he was suddenly lightheaded, as there was no blood seeping out of the wound yet.

He looked Palpatine in the face and frowned. "It _sword_ of seems like you've got a problem with me."

The Sith Lord paused and narrowed his eyes. "That's a dagger."

He shrugged, his arms feeling heavy and uncoordinated. "Still, it wasn't very _knife_ of you." He scoffed, ignoring the rush of hot pain he got as a result. "Rude."

He didn't feel the pain as he crashed to his knees, the impact making his lightsabers slip from numb fingers. The sound of the metal hitting the floor sounded strangely muffled, as though there was a personal shield around him, surrounding him in a bubble that was anything but protective.

The world started to blur, black creeping in on the edges of his vision.

He started to panic then, hands coming up to his ribcage where the knife was still imbedded in his skin. There was a dull pulsing emanating from the wound, making him shiver. He felt as though ice was slowly encasing him, the frigid feeling coming from the knife. How he knew this he didn't know but he did know that he had to get it _out_.

Anakin's mechanical fingers closed around the hilt and ripped it out before he could second guess himself, a strangled scream fighting its way past his lips. Agony ripped throughout his body and tears stung his eyes as he gasped for air, his hands moving themselves to apply pressure to the wound. They seemed as hot as lava as they pressed against his body, the ice that almost overtook him melting as he closed his eyes and focused all his power on figuring out what in the nine hells the knife did to him.

His right hand wasn't very good at touch anymore, not since his first trip to Geonosis and the subsequent start of the Clone War. The leather glove it was often encased in didn't help much either. Normally, Anakin had to rely on his left hand to do things that required more subtlety, like writing or fine tuning the joints and pistons in his metal arm. So when ice cold liquid started gushing out of the wound, it was his left hand that felt it. He yanked his hands away and turned onto his side, though he hadn't even realized that he'd fallen onto his back. He might not be as knowledgable as Kix in the medical department but he knew for a fact that anything that came out of a human wasn't supposed to be cold, especially... ahem, _bodily fluids_.

The front of his robes were already soaked, making him shiver as the wind from the broken window came over him. What was odd was that the liquid was too dark. Sure, his robes were shades of black and brown, but he was positive that he would still be able to see the tinge of red not only on his robes but on his hands as well.

Just as Anakin was about to look down, an unseen attacker crashed into him. His back slammed against the wall and his hands were yanked away from his wound and forced against the wall in a position that made him wonder if he was being crucified, which wasn't a very merry thought.

Palpatine stepped in front of him, laughing and holding his gnarled hands in front of him as though he was expecting an applause.

"Oh, look how the mighty have fallen," he said. "The Chosen One, defeated with a knife."

Anakin struggled to keep his head up. "'Tis but a flesh wound." The ice was making its way to the waistband of his slacks.

Palpatine followed the liquid's trail, grinning sadistically. Finally, he looked to Anakin with a gleam in his eye, calling the dagger to his hand with the Force. "Oh Anakin." he said, twirling the dagger in his hand before raising it above his head. "It's anything but a flesh wound. "

Anakin barely had a second to ponder that before there was a flash of silver and he choked, looking down to see the knife buried to the hilt.

In his chest.

**Author's Note:**

> leave any questions you have in the comments !! kudos are appreciated :)


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